Information Security for individual internet user
カテゴリ: Information security
At first it would be better that you realize risks on your PC environment.If you've only installed virus vaccine,then you don't do anymore,you might lose the other serious risks.You must take into account on several factor below.


1 The kind of operationsystem
2 The version of Operation system( including security patches)
3 Configuration of your Operation system
4 Browser that you often use
5 Mailer that you often use
6 personal firewall and security policy
7 Environment of ADSL ,network architecture,NAT
8 How to protect your Password
9 A fatal vulnerability of Skype
10 The Dangerto click files directly


1 The kind of operationsystem
The most of operation system for indivisual use seems to be Microsoft's Windows family. The rest are Linux and Mac OS(Mac OS X after are Linux kernel).Actually 6PCs of mine are installed Windows familly and 2PCs are Linux based.
As for security,Windows family are much vulnerable than Linux,because Windows has not only big share but rough architecture which conbined browser and file system.
So it is very important that we are conscious on the dangerousnes and weakness of this OS before we accept Windows.In addition open sourse OS are not always secure in itself.To use open sourse OS we have to know basic knowledge of security and TCP/IP.
I will rely on each kind of OSs next.

2 The versions of Operation System(including security patches)

vulnerability on Windows95 Family
on 14 June 2006 microsoft has announced that they do not provide any patch for windows95 family in order to fix the serious vulnerabbility of Explorer.
Generally to say,Windows95 fmaily includes Windows95,Windows95OSR2,Windows98,Windows98SE2,WindowsMe is the same operation system basically and Windows2000 and WindowsXP are the earnestly different operation systems in spite of their resemble looking.Since 1996 windows 95 family has been used among individuals,soho and companies as the easy OS to drop into internet world and office use.Since Windows95 family succeedes MS-DOS compatibility,architecture of user identification is quite infant. there are network function which did not take into account of the network security.Nontheless windows95 family has some value in its security.
The most of the people regard windows95 familly as out of date,as Microsoft give its support up.But it means that the most of hacker and anti social powers tend to neglect Windows 95 family.Actually malicios softwares and attacking methods fix their target on WindowsXP and Windows2000.So there is paradox on Windows.
I use Windows98SE2(this version is the easyest to install current hardware) with antivirus software,Antispyware software,Personal firewall and some configuration of registry.Off course this is my 2nd machine.Old fashioned Duron Processor(less than 1Ghz) or K6-II processor can run Windows98 very stable under the environment enough memory space(but only 128MB).1 Kind of Operation System

3 Configuration of your Operation system
Customizaton of Windows gives us an avairable solution to keep your PC secure.As you know you can find that the vulnerabilities of Windows which concentrate into some functions have been appeared in these years and a lot of attacks to the vulnerabilities by malicious users have made everyday.Microsoft announces seculity holes almost in every month,thus user have to get security patch and update windows. Using Vaccine software is only symptomatic therapy.
I will show you a solution that you remove Internet Explorler and Outlook express and activeX controls concerning to IE and outlook express, or make them inactive.Actually I have done these solution in my Windows environment almost for 10 years and I realized these solution enough effective and I have been given its fruit
In stead of Internet Explorer,we can use securer FireFox or Netscape.In stead of Outlook Express we can use securer fre mailer softwares.The importance of these solution is that you can block a relationship between file system and internet applications. this make sense as additional firewall in your PC
I will show you the detail how to restrict IE or OE in several versions of Windows next



3.1 The procedure to interuput Internet Explorer
There are two method to interupt Internet Explorer,ie one is cut off communication on Internet Explorer,the latter is to uninstall Internet Explorer and related modules.
But it is hard for geraral windows users to uninstall Internet Explorer Version 4.0 later,because Microsoft made Internet Explorer closely related to Windows file system.Then Microsoft prevent Internet Explorer to uninstall by general user.
Instead of uninstall,I suggest substiute method to interrupt Internet Explorer's communication.
This method gives us an advantage that does not depend on version of Windows and Internet Explorer and secondary ,you can permit Internet Explorler's communication temporaly to accomplish Window update operation.
(1) Step1
Please download personal firewall software
For enstance 'Agunitum Outpostfirewall,AT Guard so onThe thing is that you should select the application gateway type
(2) Step2
Install personal firewall software into your PC
(3) Step3
Configure firewall policy
In the case of application gateway,you can configure the combination of kind of application and kind of communication(that is defined in port No);ie you define permitt or prohibit the combination.
I will show the configuration as below
a:
application:IEXPLORE.EXE
port No :80
direction :both

if your personal firewall gives function that you can use wild card on port No, it would be better.

4 Browser that you often use
Browser which you usually use depends on the security of your PC. I will give my thought on PC security forcusing on Browser,which is partly redundunt of previous topic I wrote.

The Pross and con of Internet Explorer
As you know Internet Explorer is a browsing software bandled in Windows since Windows95 OSR2.In Internet Explorer ver4 and the later,both function Browser and file system are consoridated into one,which brings us an avairability while Microsoft made uninstallation of Internet Explorer unable by users who has not specialized knowledge of OS.
Consequently,Internet Explerer took over the share of browser,getting ahead of Netscape.
Web dedigners also made their web site usuin Miscrodoft oriented developing tool and HTML,instead of standard W3C HTML.This is why some web site can not show right design when we use non IE browsers.
It has brought the incentives of the malicious internet users to analyse vulnerabilities in Internet Exploer and develop malicious softwares or tools for attacking Internet Explorer.Then Microsoft has got to develop patches and announce to public continuously in these years.But the desclosures of vulnerability in IE looks like endless.
That means many PC user spare their huge times to upadete window and to recover from trouble brought by malicious attack.Why shouldnt you feel it something strange?

Better solution
MicroSoft showed Internet Expleorer Ver7 a few month ago,announing implovement of security.But I dont think the most od PC user believe what MS announced.We have been betrayed for many years.
PC users seem to estimate their risks to be IE user rationaly.The replacement to another browser is the one of good choise,despite there are some web sites that anothe browser cannot display exactly because of MS based HTML.You have to balance merit(big security) and demerit(samall usability).

there are FireFox,Opera,Netscape which are able to relplace IE.FireFox has also announced its vulnerabilty and gave version up adding security Patch.Some media is suspicious to FireFoX and deal it defending IE sice.Off couse noone cannot say Firefox is Absolutely secure,but FireFox is not linked to filesystems of Windows. Even if Firefox woulld penetrated by malicious attack,that damage will be limited arouund brouser.In adition
there are less hackers who give target on FireFox.This is quite important factor ,taking into account.

The solutions against malicious attack toward Internet are the Two.
The One is to watch accouncement of Microsoft and run windowsupdate on 15th of everymonth.
The another one is to stop Internet Explorer in your Windows and use another much secure
Browser.The thing is the paradime shift for you.

5 Mailer that you often use

I guess the most of windows user make use of Outlook Express and some of Web mail ASP,while some carefull users have recognised them very dangerous since Microsoft has bandled it with Windows.In addition the earlier e-meil user has been using netscape mail and the other mailer which includes CUI based softwares. They 've already recognised OutlookExpress is dangerous for the reason why it has linked to files ystems throgh activeX modules as well as Internet Exproler.

I dare to suggest general e-mail users that you should stop using OutlookExpress and make the communication on OutlookExpress blocked by personal firewall then install the other independendent mailer like Mozilla Thunderbird.

6 personal firewall and security policy
Firewall has got standard infrastructure for internet conecction in these years.
Individual users who connect to internet can use software personal firewalls.
In individual use,the application gateway type is avairable,which controls and restricts combinations of port Number,direction and application
We can configure application gateway as below


permited 80 both FireFox
forbiden 80 both Interner Explorer
forbiden 110 down OutlookExpress
forbiden 25 up OutlookExpress
permited 110 down Becky2
permited 25 up Becky2

7 Environment of ADSL ,network architecture,NAT

Broad band internet connection has been widely spreaded among Japan since 2000.Now the most of internet user enjoy broad band.So I am afraid that common users dont take into account of configuration on broad band.In addition they dont have enough incentive to learn network security
I will show you a typical architecture of connection to broad band internret as below.
0002.jpg



ADSL modem supports PPPoE protocol and give you to get temporaly IP address that is an universal IP address(WAN side)
Broad band router converts WAN side IP address into LAN side(Privete) IP address which is assigned 192.168.xxx.xxx in common.

We call this function as NAT.Some equipmet includes both ADSL modem and broadband router.
When we buy and connect a broad band router at first,the initial configulation seems to be as below
LAN side default gateway IP address: 192.168.0.1
ID and password:ID(Admin or administrator) Password(null or 'password')

The promlem is that there are many internet users who dont change initial configuration of broad band router.it means that any person in WAN side easily guess default gateway IP address as 192.168.0.1 and client IP addresses beyond LAN side are 192.168.0.2,192.168.0.3.... The confidentiality of NAT keeps at low level.

the solution
the solution which make your broadband environment much secure.
1 At first you'd better change your default setting of password.
2 Secondary Change the defaultgateway IP address in anothe value like 192.168.222.200
3 Change your TCP/IP configuration of client PC.If your setting is DHCP avairable,change DHCP unavairable and set IP address manually.IP address must be in the same subnet like
as default gateway 192.168.222.201.
4 Set sub net mask like 255.255.255.248 that makes your home LAN as a subnet 8 clients at maximum.Then your IP address' range make narrower

8 How to Protect your Password
There are many documents that rely on password security.
These are often showed as below
* use combination of number,alphabets,character
* use enough digit
* dont use such dangerous name as name,birth day,phone No
* to change your password periodically
In Addition I will point out the important matter to protect your ID and Password efficiently.
I will say it would be better if you use the more than 15 didits password.The more than 15 digits passwords protects against the attack by the freesoftware to analyse windows password like LC4.Windows has fatal vulnerability on the password keeping architecture that support less than 14 digits password,so that some cracker can make use of that vulnerability.
Even an amature PC user can hack passwords by such a free softwares.
But if you names long password with 15 digits more,your environment will become much secure.

9 A fatal vulnerability of Skype
Skype has deployed worldwide in these years.A lot of Media announce merit and usability of skype.But I dare to say there are not always good bless but serious vulnerability in Skype.Do you know many companies forbid connection of Skype and their Intranetwork.Skype is quite dangerous in a sense.
1 Skype's communication is protected by 256 bit cyphering.US inteligent agency always scan who is the participant of skype at real time.
2 Skype's core is the Kazah the P2P file exchange software,in which a lot of hackers and crackers take part,they are automatically Skype user.
in another word, skype is sharing the same protocol with Kazah.
These Sofisticated Hacker and Cracker can easily penetrate into your PC's private area through Skype.
3 Skype is P2P software,when you connect to Skype,you may become transponder at 1% of probability.In another word Skype P2P network jackes your PC and network resource.

Even though you will use skype as well,it would be better that you keep your PC's HDD empty.r Home LAN.


10 The danger to click files directly
Generally,it would be better if you are carefull to select the way to open files in your PC.The danger stays at the my computor and explorer in your MS-Windows.You have to take untiny risk to click data files on my computor or explorer directly.If the file contains
malicious code,pretending to word,exel,or pdf file so on,these maliciuous code can execute,when you click it directly.In spite of wrong suffics of the file,Windows does not check it and make it execute.I think it a kind of bug by Microsoft.
The better way to open these file is to open application progfram at first,then select 'open file' in the menu of that program.If the file is fake,application probrams will recognize something wrong and show you error message.

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Edit / 2008.07.19 / Comment: 0 / TrackBack: 0 / PageTop↑
WELCOME
カテゴリ: Amature Radio
Welcome to my website. I am first to configure my weblogue.
I am a sort of specialist of information security management.And I will send my know how and opinions on this topic.And my another interest has been Amature Radio.And I will show verious information on Ham Radio.
my antenna system
Edit / 2008.07.19 / Comment: 0 / TrackBack: 12 / PageTop↑
Guidelines of information security
カテゴリ: Information security
I'll show you a sample of basic guidelines for information security.
it would make me happy if you feel them avairable for your business or life management

1 systematic management
1.1 Make sure that information security is the top level agenda.
1.1.1 In advance,board or leader of organization take his ownership of IT governance and set the direction
1.2 Guide management by helping align the information security institutes or the other specialists
1.3 Form an information security monitoring or auditing organization.
1.4 The organization should check if security policy are in place and worked
1.5 Roles and responsibilities have to be defined
1.6 Conduct risk assesment for identifying risks
1.6.1 estimation of security risk should be done
1.6.2 Making sure significant risks have been identified.
1.6.3 Making sure critical IT activities should be monitored
1.6.4 Verifying outsourcee capability
1.6.5 Set up a organizational framework with clear responsibilities
1.6.6 Align informationsecurity strategy with business goals
1.6.7 Understand and define the risks
1.6.8 Define target areas and identify a process areas
1.7 Ensure that organization complies with legal requirements
1.8 Inventries of assets should clearly defined and retained as a current state
1.9 Standards and procedures have to be framed for handling,strage and exchange of information.
1.9.1 tailoring;The organization needs to talk the use of standards and procedure to suits its each requirements
1.9.2 Develop improvement strategies
1.9.3 Measure result ,establish scorecard mechanism
1.9.9 repeat PDCA cycles

2 people management
2.1 Confidentiality agreement should be taken into account
3 technical management
3.1 Access control should be defined and doccumented
3.2 Logue monitoring is conducted to verify users access rights
3.3 Sensitive system should be isolated.
3.4 Anti-malware software should be provided with isolated computers
3.5 Network controls should be in place for user authentification
3.6 The system manuals and system configurations details doccuments should be protected from unauthorized access
3.7 BCP should be tested
4 systematic control
4.1 Faults and security events need to be reported and well managed
4.2 Information security awareness and training has to be imported to ensure that the people in organization are notified information securit focus.
Edit / 2008.12.24 / Comment: 0 / TrackBack: 0 / PageTop↑
Asembling legacy PC 2 AOpen AK73pro
カテゴリ: PC
Here is another lagcy PC in my shack with which mounts mobile Duron on Aopen AK73pro (chipset KT133).For a while I mounted Duron750Mhz on this Mother board.When I replaced to mobileAthlon4 1Ghz about 2months ago,AK73pro indicated this CPU as Athlon 1.2Ghz core Voltage 1.6V.Bios has mistook to recognize CPU's configularion.
In spite of this indication,I boot this PC for a few days,consequently,I found that the PC sometimes did not boot when I put on power switch.
I was astonished and I decided to get back to previous Duron750Mhz,then PC has booted.

Then I recognized if the version of bios is out of date in comparison with CPU, I downloaded newer version of bios.Thaks to mother board maker,I could get bios easily.and made bios flash.
After bios flash,I mounted Mobile Duron 1.1Ghz.Now the newer bios is admitted the CPU as Duron1.1Ghz.and successfully booted Ubuntu8.04 and Windows2000.

This PC has got quite stable,and made much silent.I make use of this PC for data archive
in secure environment.
I feel it enough to make use of business purpose.
Edit / 2009.04.19 / Comment: 0 / TrackBack: 0 / PageTop↑
Asembling legacy PC 1 Abit KT7
カテゴリ: PC
I use a legacy Abit KT7(KT133 SocketA mounting mobile Athlon4 1Ghz) home made PC,installing Windows200SP4 and Ubuntu8.04.It was more than 5 years ago when I got this raid supported mother board at the recycle shop on Akihabara electric stree.After I got home I made a running test on this board in vain.(maybe bios did not react anymore.) ,then I fogot this Mother board for a long time. When my previous main machine with ECS K7S5A has troubled in last December, I remember this mother board archived in the box and replaced K7S5A to K7T. So my legacy PC has been alived again.

Spec is below
Mother Board : Abit KT7 (KT133)
CPU : Mobile Athlon4 1Ghz
RAM : PC100 384Mb
HDD : 30GB for win2K
6GB for Ubuntu8.04
Optical Drive :Teac CDR
Asus DVD-R
Sound card :Sound blaster live
lan card : realtek 100baseT


As you recobnised,this generation mounts no sounddrive nor Lan driver on board. lol
but it works confortable,for the purpose of web browsing,e-mail,paltalk,echolink terminal.and dictionary.
as for Ubuntsu8.04,it works without any problems.I enjoy listening MP3 file with audacity
and watch DVD with xine.
Edit / 2009.04.19 / Comment: 0 / TrackBack: 0 / PageTop↑